Halloween Tricks
by Five-O Fanatics
Summary: Three of Chin's children discover more than ghosts when they go looking for Halloween fun while Five-O deals with a night full of tricks and no treats. A Round Robin Story.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: This story was written in Round Robin format with four authors participating. We started writing shortly before Halloween and only recently finished, hence the reason we are posting a Halloween tale in December. Also know that any details on the Kelly family that were not established by canon come from Book 'em Again's fanon. Thanks for reading and we hope you enjoy this story; we certainly had a lot of fun writing it._

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><p><strong>Halloween Tricks<strong>

By: Book 'em Again, honu59, kopiella, and Tanith2011

**Chapter One:**

It was the day before Halloween and excitement was in the air but there were two young boys who were not thrilled with their prospects for the upcoming holiday.

"Trick or treating is for babies," Thomas Kelly stated with all the certainty of a nine year old.

"Tell me about it," added the eleven year old Gabriel Kelly. "The candy is nice but Halloween is supposed to be scary. Ghosts, vampires, haunted houses that's what makes Halloween fun."

Thomas' face lit up. "You think we will find a ghost if we went looking?"

"Of course. It's Halloween. There should be lots of ghosts but Mom and Dad would never let us go look."

"Who says we have to tell them?"

Gabriel considered his brother's point carefully before asking, "Where would we look?"

Thomas' lower lip jutted out as he thought over his answer. "A haunted house?"

Suddenly the two boys looked at each other as they both called out at the same time, "The old house on Umi Road."

"Nobody has lived there for forever," Gabriel said excitingly.

"It has to be haunted," Thomas agreed.

Gabriel slapped his brother on his back. "Tomorrow night we'll check it out."

"Can I come?"

Gabriel and Thomas turned around suddenly and much to their dismay they saw their sister Amy. The boys met each other's eyes as they both held back a groan. The last person they wanted tagging along on their grand adventure was their seven year old sister.

"No way, Amy," Thomas replied, "this is too scary for girls."

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Fine. But I'm telling Mom and Dad that you're planning on sneaking out after dark on Halloween."

"Don't!" Gabriel shouted.

"You can't stop me."

"Fine. You can come if you promise not to tell Mom or Dad."

Amy calmed down but she still looked suspicious. "What about Thomas?"

After receiving a stern look from his older brother, Thomas gritted his teeth and said, "You can come. I only meant that it is too scary for most girls not for you."

"Deal."

"Okay, here's the plan," Gabriel announced. "We go trick or treating like normal but when Mom and Dad inspect the candy we sneak out and head to the haunted house."

Amy nodded and Thomas declared, "This is going to be the best Halloween ever!"

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><p>A cold voice spoke to the people gathered in the room, "Does everyone understand the plan?"<p>

Three figures nodded their assent and the speaker continued, "We strike tomorrow night while the fuzz has their hands full chasing after teenagers pulling Halloween pranks. Our rendezvous is the abandoned house on Umi Road. Any questions?"

When no one spoke up the meeting ended as those gathered went their separate ways to finish their preparations for tomorrow night.

It was going to be a Halloween to remember.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

On the morning of Halloween, Kono Kalakaua entered the pristine office belonging to his boss, Hawaii's top cop, Steve McGarrett. "Boss, Danny said you wanted to see me." Kono walked briskly up to Steve's desk, a look of curiosity on his face.

"Yeah, Kono. Duke just received a tip-off from a local informant. It's a hit on a jewelry store tonight but we don't know which one. I've narrowed the list down to the most likely targets based on the value of the goods held on the premises and their location. I need you to work with HPD and set up patrols tonight around these positions." Steve briefed the young Hawaiian detective as he passed a file over to him across the desk. Kono took the file and flipped it open with a look on his face that told Steve there was something he wanted to say but held back. "What is it Kono?

"It's just dat it's Halloween, Steve." Kono began somewhat uncertainly.

Yeah?" The detective's steely gaze locked on Kono's, enticing him to continue.

"Well, with da streets full of kids trick or treating, what are da chances anyone would get away with dis? What about witnesses?" The big Hawaiian detective continued.

"That's exactly why they have chosen tonight. They could use the commotion to escape notice. Any noise they make may be undistinguishable and they could simply dress up and blend in with the crowd as they make their get-away. What better way than to pull this off? It's also a time when Honolulu's finest are out keeping the peace from teens who get carried away, which means even more chance they could slip between our fingers." Steve replied.

"I guess you're right, Boss."

"It won't be easy and we could be watching the wrong places but it's a start. Fisher is one of HPD's most trusted informants so chances are, the tip-off is genuine. Danno is running a check on ex-cons who have burglary records in Hawaii and are on the island. I'll be here tonight. Any sign of suspicious activity, I want it called in."

"Right, Steve."

"Good, Kono. One more thing, let's try not to blow this for Chin's sake. I've given him the night off to take the kids trick or treating. He's owed time from the raids last week and I'd hate to have to call him in if things don't go smoothly," Steve concluded with sympathy in his voice. Chin Ho Kelly was a proud father of eight and Steve knew that spending time with the family were scarce and treasured moments. He didn't want to see Chin's children grow up as strangers to him. They meant the world to Chin but Steve knew the call of duty often took precedence over the precious time he spent with his family.

"I'll get right on it!" Kono exclaimed with confidence in his tone.

"Thanks, Kono." Steve gave a strained smiled and nodded as Kono turned and left the office.

When Kono exited Steve's office, he passed by Jenny's desk, taking a large handful from the bowl of candy corn next to the secretary's typewriter. Jenny gave him the evil eye and sighed, then laughed. Kono smiled shyly, as he had been caught red-handed again. "I'm just a big kid at heart, you know dat, Jenny," Kono explained.

Jenny had been waiting for the big Hawaiian to leave the boss's office so she could convey an important message without interrupting the meeting. She knocked on the large koa door before opening it half-way to get Steve's attention.

"Yes, Jenny?" Steve asked.

"Message from the Man, Steve – he had a call from the Bishop Museum and they're concerned about security for the _Kai Ākea _exhibit, especially tonight since it is Halloween. He wants you to call back."

Steve sighed. _Why is it that this supposed holiday just creates extra work every year?_

"Thanks, love," Steve replied. Jenny gave the boss an understanding smile and returned to her own desk.

Steve dialed the phone and was soon connected with Governor Jameson. Out of reflex from his years of Naval training, he stood as he spoke with his superior.

"Steve, Dr. Benz wants our assurance that the artifacts for the _Kai Ākea _exhibit will be protected from theft. I don't need to tell you that these items are irreplaceable. Because this exhibit is representative of Hawaiian gods, legends and native beliefs, Dr. Benz is particularly nervous about tonight, since it is Halloween."

"Yes sir," Steve began. "We are pretty thinly spread tonight already. We've had a hot tip about a possible jewel heist, and I've given Chin the night off. But I'll see to it that there is sufficient security at the museum."

"I know you'll do your best, Steve. I'll return the call to Dr. Benz and let him know. Thank you."

"I appreciate your confidence. Good day, sir."

Steve ended the call, and then punched the button for Jenny's line.

"Jenny, send Danno in, please."

Jenny poked her head into Danny's cubicle and cleared her throat to get the detective's attention. "Danny, the boss wants to see you when you're off the phone."

Danny winked at the secretary and did his best to wrap up the call quickly. Then he proceeded into the big office. "You wanted to see me, Steve?"

"Yeah, Danno, sit down," Steve began, messaging his temples to ward off the inevitable headache that came with too much to do. "We've had a request from the governor to increase security at the Bishop Museum. Have you finished your check on the HPD burglary records?"

"Sure, Steve," Danny replied, scratching his sandy curls. "I have the feeling that a trip to the museum is in my immediate future."

Just as Steve was about to give the order Danny was expecting, Chin walked into the room. "Boss, I got something."

"Aren't you supposed to be leaving?" Steve asked in a teasing tone.

"I was on my way when I got a message from one of my snitches; there's word on the street is that going to be a hit on one of the dockside warehouses tonight," Chin explained as he handed Steve a piece of paper with information about the snitch on it. "Thought you'd want to know before I left."

"Thanks, Chin," Steve said as he looked at the paper. "Have fun and don't let the kids eat all the candy."

As Chin left the office, Steve's instincts starting telling him that something wasn't right. Looking over at his second-in-command, Steve ordered, "Call Dr. Benz. I want to know why they are worried about a hit tonight."

Danny nodded his assent. "You think they got a tip of a robbery?"

"Yeah, Danno."

While Danno called the museum, Steve ordered Kono into the room. "Has Chin left?" Steve asked as Kono closed the door.

"Yes. Problem, Boss?"

Before Steve could answer, Danny called out from across the room. "Your hunch was right. Benz was tipped off by an anonymous caller."

"That's makes three tips we've received in the past hour."

"Three!" Kono declared, his eyes wide.

Danny started listing them off. "Duke received a tip saying that someone was going to hit a jewelry store, Dr. Benz at the Bishop Museum, and Chin's snitch said someone is going to hit a warehouse by the docks tonight."

Steve stood up and starting snapping his fingers. "It can't be coincidence. Just suppose you're someone who wants to go after a big score but is concerned about people talking, so you leak information about other hits so that that the police are spread out too thin to cover any of the areas properly just in case someone talks."

"Or dere all fake," Kono added.

"There's going to be a hit tonight," Danny stated. "But since we don't know where we have to treat all those tips as genuine until we know where the hit is going to happen."

Kono looked at the clock. "We bettah work wikiwiki. Da sun sets in four hours. How do we know if da tips are real or not?"

"Gentlemen," Steve said as he looked each man in his eyes. "That's what we're going to find out."

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><p>Two men dressed in dark colored clothing strolled through the nearly empty parking lot of the University. They set their sights on the jet black Mustang ahead of them. The tinted window of the driver's side was rolled down, revealing its sinister occupant who rested an arm along the frame of the window. He sat with a scowl set upon his unshaven face, drumming his thick fingers on the edge. When the two men reached the parked car, the taller and thinner of the duo leaned forward and spoke in a quiet, serious tone, "Everything is ready. The distractions are in place. We have been watching the Palace carefully. McGarrett's taking the bait. His second was seen heading towards the museum just as we thought he would."<p>

"Good. I want everyone in position in an hour from now." The man in the vehicle nodded as he replied, his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses as he slowly turned his head and glanced at the man beside his car.

"After tonight Five-O will be remembered as Hawaii's greatest failure." the stocky man standing on the blacktop joined in as the three men let out a chorus of dry, formidable laughter before each swiftly and conspicuously disappeared in separate directions.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Chin Ho was feeling absolutely content, as he walked with his wife and children from door to door trick -or-treating. It wasn't much, but as a cop, he rarely got to spend time with his family, so when he was able to do something with his entire family, no matter how small or trivial it may seem, he treasured every moment of it. He wrapped his arm around his wife, and they shared a smile before the Kelly family began to make their way back to their home.

Upon entering the house, things turned chaotic. Tim immediately went to his room carrying the phone, and the rest of the clan began eagerly jumping around, trying to steal their favorite pieces of candy from each other.

"Now before any of you eat any of that candy, your mother and I are going to take every bit of it into the kitchen and start sorting through and examining it," Chin announced, much to the dismay of the sugar-toothed kids.

Mrs. Kelly smiled at her children, and began scooping up the bags of candy. "In the meantime, all of you can be getting ready for bed! You won't have to _go _to bed for a while, but you can get ready."

Another round of groans came from the mouths of the Kelly kids but they all did as they were told.

In the midst of all the chaos, nobody noticed the three children that slowly began to sneak out the back door.

Thomas, Gabriel and Amy took off running in the direction of the haunted house, laughing and smiling largely at one another.

"We did it!" Thomas grinned, slowing down as they got out of their house's earshot.

"Haunted House, here we come!" Gabriel cried out, reveling in the excitement of getting away with something against the rules.

Amy didn't say a word, but it wasn't necessary. There was a definite air of exhilaration emitting from her.

The three of them were still dressed in their costumes, but even if they weren't they would not have been noticed by anyone. It was Halloween, and kids were roaming around like fish in water.

The walk to the haunted house seemed extremely long, but at the same time, incredibly short. They couldn't decide which was more logical, but they stopped caring as soon as they reached the front of the house.

They stood together, staring at the house, eager and slightly scared to enter. The house was obviously old. The wood seemed to be slightly rotten in some places, and the yard was atrocious. The windows were dirty, and the curtains that hung behind them were ripped and had holes in them.

"Spooky." Thomas stated, taking it the state of the house.

"Yeah," Gabriel agreed. "All we need now is a couple of lightning bolts to crash in the background." He grinned slightly, trying to cover up the nervous feeling that was beginning to creep its way up his spine.

Amy was feeling much the same way, but decided to be the 'brave' one, especially since her brothers had been reluctant to let her go in the first place. "Come on guys, don't be sissys! Let's go!" She began walking, but she seriously hoped her brothers would catch up to her quickly.

The siblings entered the house, the floor creaking at their every move. They shut the door and began exploring the inside of the house, going deeper and deeper within.

Amy froze suddenly, and grabbed Gabriel's hand. "G-Gabe...? D-did you hear th-that?"

Gabriel shook her hand off him. "Amy, if you're too scared, why don't you go on home?"

"I'm not scared! I just heard something," She replied in a harsh whisper.

"Well I don't hear any – " Gabriel froze and looked around for his brother. Terror shot through the little boy's body as he saw his brother standing deathly still, watching Gabriel with wide eyes.

The siblings exchanged panicked looks, as they heard footsteps creaking closer and closer to them.

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><p>He was wasting his time.<p>

With every minute that passed Danny couldn't shake the feeling that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The warnings Five-O had received were too convenient for Danny's taste even though duty required them to take every one seriously. That was why he was keeping a careful eye on the Bishop Museum while Kono patrolled the docks and Steve made rounds of the jewelry stores considered to be at the highest risk of robbery. And with every second that passed without anything coming over the radio other than the regular Halloween pranks, Danny became more convinced that his gut was right.

The problem was his gut wasn't a strong enough reason for Danny to leave his post. So Danny waited in the driver's seat of his sedan for the inevitable to happen and hoped that when it did that they wouldn't be too late to catch the crooks.

"Central to Williams."

"Williams speaking."

"Danny, we're patching you through to McGarrett."

Danny held his breathe while he waited for Steve to speak.

"Danno, we've been had."

While inwardly cursing that he hadn't trusted his instincts, Danny asked, "How, Steve?"

"I didn't want to announce it over an open channel but I just received news from the security guards at the Palace; the Five-O offices have been ransacked. They say it'll take days to figure out all that's missing."

Steve didn't have to tell Danny of the implications of that news. They had three major cases coming up in court in the next couple of weeks and most of their notes and much of their evidence had been locked up in the office.

The first two cases were for separate murderer investigations and the third was on a major crime lord whom they had been investigating for three long years before Five-O had found even evidence that they believed would stick in court. All three crooks were facing major time in prison if they were convicted and all three had connections that could possibly enable them to pull off a job like this.

As Danny started driving toward the office, he had to admit the crooks' plan worked brilliantly. Five-O had been tricked into following false leads all around Honolulu while the crooks had gotten their treat.

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><p>Chin had gotten about half way through all the candy when he got the phone call about the break in at the office with orders to meet Steve there as soon as possible. So after grabbing his gun and his badge, Chin took one last look at his kids who had gathered to say goodnight and immediately noticed that something was wrong. Amy always saw him off to work and if Gabriel and Thomas weren't where Chin could see them the two boys were rarely somewhere that Chin couldn't hear them.<p>

Frowning, Chin called out to his wife, "Lin, have you seen the rest of our children?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

It didn't take long for the Iolani Palace to be over-run by HPD officers and Che's lab boys as they combed the Five-O offices for any trail the intruders left behind. Five-O's lead detective shook his head in dismay as he took stock of the turned-out filing cabinet. He could see where the lock had been jimmied and upon closer inspection, his keen, steel blue eyes caught sight of a metallic object wedged in the keyhole. Straightening up, Steve turned and called out to the Asian forensic investigator standing with his back to him, "Che, could you take a look at this, please?"

"What is it Steve?" Che Fong turned around and headed over to the detective's side, his eyes travelling down to where Steve was still pointing.

"It looks like some kind of alloy was used to jimmy the lock. I'll get my boys right on it, Steve!"

"Good, Che. Any prints so far?"

Che shook his head slowly. "The prints we dusted probably don't belong to the perpetrators but to you, John and anyone else with authorized access to this room. An operation like this is bound to be conducted with great care, which means they'd be wearing gloves. We've sent the prints we collected to the lab nonetheless."

"Thanks, Che." Steve thanked the slender man just as Duke Lukela walked briskly towards him.

"Steve, Chin's on the phone. I think you better take the call outside." Duke informed in serious tones.

Steve glanced at his watch as he followed Duke out to the main office. _Chin should have been here by now. What's keeping him?_

Picking up the receiver from the desk, Steve pressed it to ear and turned his back on the commotion taking place behind him. Chin, where are you?"

"Steve, I'm at home. I'm sorry I haven't left the house yet but I- I don't know where they are! We just got home from trick-or-treating with the kids, sorted the candy and then you called and I was just about to leave…" Chin's voice trailed off as he took a breath to continue but Steve forestalled him.

"Whoa, Chin, slow down. Take it easy. What happened?" Steve asked through the mouth piece, his brow furrowing with concern as Chin's panic stricken voice hit a nerve.

"I don't know-I-my kids are missing! Thomas, Gabriel and Amy! Lin and I have searched the house. Tim and Alia asked our neighbors. There's no sign of them, Steve!" Chin's rattled answer travelled through the line.

"Okay, calm down Chin. You said you and Lin took the kids trick-or-treating tonight. Is it possible you got separated along the way?" Steve asked as calmly as he could.

"No, we all got home together, I'm sure of it and so is Lin." Chin responded quickly and surely.

"Alright. Could they have snuck out sometime after you all got home?" Steve wondered out loud.

"I can't think of when…hang on, the last time I saw Amy was just before we started sorting the candy. She was headed to her room to change out of her costume." Chin paused as he racked his brain.

"Look Chin, why don't do go out there and find them. I'll send someone to help you and pass the word around on the radio to keep a look out. They're probably at someone's door, extending their trick-or-treating night," Steve suggested, trying to sound reassuring.

"I hope you're right. I know Thomas and Gabriel are known for their pranks but they've never snuck out like this before, especially not with their little sister! I'm worried about them, Steve."

"I know you are, Chin, but there are a lot of children out tonight, some with their parents. It's a small consolation, but I'm sure someone is bound to see them. Now, what were they wearing?"

"Thomas was dressed as a pirate with an eye patch and hook. Gabriel…Gabriel was wearing…" Chin sighed in frustration at his own forgetfulness.

"Take your time, Chin. Can you tell me what Amy was wearing?"

"She was dressed as a princess with a tiara. Lin put together her costume but damn it, Steve, I can't remember what Gabriel was wearing!" Chin's voice rose in pitch.

"Easy Chin. Most likely they will have gone together so chances are, if two are found in each other's company, it's likely we'll find all three. Ask Lin and the others because someone's bound to remember what Gabriel was wearing then go from there. I don't think they could've gone very far on foot. Hang in there Chin." Steve ended the call once he reassured Chin that his children will be found safe and sound.

"Is everything okay, Steve?" Danny's voice sounded concerned.

"That was Chin. Thomas, Gabriel and Amy are missing. It looks like they've taken off behind their parents' backs," replied Steve.

"Anything we can do to help?" Danny asked.

"Spread the word, Danno. See if Chief Dann can spare a couple of guys to help Chin."

"Right, Steve. It looks like we're not the only ones who've been had!" Danny turned on his heel, leaving Steve to his thoughts.

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><p>As the footsteps grew nearer, voices could also be heard coming from upstairs. Amy gasped and Thomas quickly covered his younger sister's face with his hand, knocking her tiara askew.<p>

"In here, hurry!" Gabriel whispered urgently, pulling the sleeve of his brother's ruffled shirt towards a broom cupboard below the staircase. As Gabriel wrenched open the door, the three siblings quickly scurried into the cramped broom cupboard. Neither noticed that in their haste, Amy's tiara had fallen off her head and landed at the foot of the stairs.

"I could've sworn I heard something, Cal." A stocky man commented as together, he and his companion bounded down the staircase.

"It's probably a rat!"

"Hey, what the?" The taller of the two men reached the bottom of the stairs first and looked down as he stepped back with a crunching sound. There on the dirty floor lay a mangled shiny ornament. Bending down, he picked it up and examined it closely. "We've got company." His eyes narrowed as he stood up slowly and placed a forefinger up to his lips in a gesture of silence.

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><p>As Chin hung up the phone, he heard a small voice behind him.<p>

"Daddy," said three-year-old Tilda. "I know where they are."

Chin gathered his youngest child in his arms and gave her a hug. Just having the physical contact with her helped to calm him down a little bit.

"Okay, Sweetie, where are they?" Chin asked his little girl as he brushed a piece of her silky black hair out of her face.

"I heard them talking yesterday. They were talking about doing something _bad_!" Tilda said proudly as she tattled.

"Tell me exactly what you heard, Sweetie," said Chin, trying to remain patient as his heart began to race again.

"Thomas and Gabriel said they were gonna sneak out and find a haunted house! Amy talked them into taking her, too. They're gonna look for ghosts! Daddy, I don't want the ghosts to hurt them," Tilda whimpered, suddenly afraid herself. She wiped the tears from her eyes on her pajama sleeve.

"Tilda, Sweetie," began Chin feeling his calm beginning to slip. "Did they say _where _they were going?"

"I think they said Umi Road. An old house nobody lives in."

"Good girl!" Chin said as he hugged Tilda again before putting her down. "Now off to bed. Don't worry, I'll find your brothers and sister."

"'Night, Daddy!" cooed Tilda as she toddled off to her room. "I love you!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

Chin arrived at the old abandoned house on Umi Road in record time. His mind was a tangled mess of anger, worry and a list of creative punishments. He quickly approached the front door, shining his flashlight on the old creaky floorboards of the porch so that he wouldn't fall through any holes.

The sounds from the front porch alerted the men inside, drawing their attention away from the broom cupboard and the broken tiara.

"Sounds like we have more company outside!" said the taller man, as he pulled out his gun and pressed his back against the wall next to the front door.

Chin turned the doorknob and stepped into the living room.

* * *

><p>When the lab boys left, Kono stood looking at the ruins of the office: furniture overturned, papers scattered everywhere, and a broken coffee pot leaking stale coffee onto the carpet. It was almost too much for the Hawaiian detective to take it at once. "Where do we start, Boss?"<p>

"Papers; if we can figured out what's missing we can narrow down the field of suspects."

"Dey will have taken more den a few papers to confuse us."

"If just one of the Saben, Larke, or Stiller files is missing I'd say we have our thieves," Danny reasoned as he rejoined his co-workers.

Steve nodded to show his agreement when Danno named the three cases that were coming up in court next week. "They're our most likely suspects."

While the three men got to work, Danny said, "I spoke to Dann. He can't spare any men for Chin but he's warned the men in that area to call in if they spot his kids."

Kono frowned; he'd never be excited for Halloween again! The holiday was just more trouble than it was worth. Then Kono moved to check the files that were still in the cabinet. "Got one!" Kono called out after a few minutes of digging. "Larke."

"Good work," Steve said with a hint of hope creeping into his voice as the thieves failed to realize that taking that file would have been to their benefit.

A few minutes later, Danny called out that he had found the Saben file and they went through the rest of the papers in record time but found not one page of the Stiller file.

Kono brought to mind all he could remember on the Stiller case. Howard Stiller had brutally murdered one of his neighbors when a feud between the two families that had gotten way out of control. Stiller had three older brothers and, since Howard had done exactly what his older brothers would have if they had been given the same opportunity, the entire family vowed that they would do anything to keep Howard from prison.

Now that anything included breaking into the Five-O office, Kono dreaded to think what else the Stiller family would do to keep their vow.

* * *

><p>Amy leaned back against her brothers, trying not to breathe as she watched through a crack in the door as one of the scary men leaned down and picked up her tiara. Suddenly, the same man looked straight at the closest where they were hiding but before he could come closer they all heard the sound of someone walking on the front porch. Amy was forced to stifle a gap when the taller man pulled out a gun and pointed it at front door.<p>

The door opened and Amy instantly recognized her Daddy. Pushing open the closet door, Amy ignored the shouts of her brothers as she ran and jumped at the man holding the gun.

There was no way she was letting the bad man hurt her Daddy!

* * *

><p>It all happened in the space of a heart beat with Cal dropping his gun in surprise as the little girl hung on his forearm and bit into it hard. "Argh! Stupid brat!" he yelled but before he had a chance to grab her by the hair and throw her off him, a loud booming voice froze him in his tracks.<p>

"Freeze! Police! Don't move!" Cop reflexes combined with fatherly instincts kicked in and Chin, upon seeing the pistol, now laying on the ground and his daughter about to be manhandled, had drawn his piece in record time, aiming it squarely at the man's torso.

Grinding his teeth in exasperation at his misfortune, Cal winced at the pain radiating from the bite and relaxed his arms as the little girl dropped to the ground, releasing her hold on him. A sidelong glance told him his accomplice already had his hands raised in the air. "Alright, alright." Muttering under his breath, Cal raised his own pair of hands above his head.

"Amy, are you okay, sweet heart?" Chin asked in a slightly quavering voice as he slowly approached the two men, his gun still held at the ready.

"I'm okay, Daddy!" Amy replied, her face lit up at the sight of her father coming to her rescue, then turning her head around she saw her two brothers standing right behind her. She could see that neither were smiling but wore identical masks of guilt on their faces as they faced the disappointed stare of their father.

"Boys?" Chin queried in turn, giving each of them a quick once over.

"We're okay, Dad." Thomas piped up as Gabriel kept his head hung low.

"Okay, you, up against the wall, hands where I can see them!" Chin directed the man named Cal explicitly. "And you too!" Chin pointed at the shorter, heavy set man to do the same. "Kids, are there any more?" Chin asked, not daring to take his eyes off the duo. He recognized the men as two of the Stiller brothers. He knew the entire Stiller family were not only dangerous but Cal and Bud Stiller were rarely seen without the company of their eldest brother Jeff. Chin knew he was severely outnumbered and Steve didn't know where he was so back-up support was not on the way. Added to this, the father of eight also had three of his younger children to keep out of harm's way. His mind worked itself into over-drive on how best to handle the situation and get his family home safe and sound. As he followed the two men to the wall, ready to frisk them, Chin called out to his children to stick together and wait for him outside. Once he heard them scurry away down the hall, Chin moved quickly to Bud and using one hand to hold the gun steady, he checked the man's pockets and waistband with the other. He found a .22 semi-automatic concealed in Bud's jacket pocket and a fold up pocket knife in his jeans. Chin was now faced with two men in possession of deadly fire arms and only one hand cuff. Pushing the dark thought aside, he moved on to frisk the second man, Cal who turned his head and spat out, "We ain't done nothing, cop!"

"What were you doing with those kids?" Chin demanded heatedly. He knew he had to tread carefully and not let his personal feelings get the best of him. He was far too experienced to allow that to happen and bit his tongue from saying anything further.

"Nothing! We didn't even know they were here until you showed up! What's the matter? Having trouble keeping your kids in-line, cop?" Cal barked in contempt, slowly inching himself off the wall.

_"Hold it! Flat against the wall, now!"_ Chin's raised voice carried out into the entrance hall of the house where Amy and the boys almost reached the front door. Amy turned around worriedly but Thomas opened the door and wrapped his arm protectively about her shoulders, ushering her out.

Suddenly a shot rang out followed by their father's cry of pain causing the three children to cry out and jump in fright. Frozen in fear for their father's safety, the children stood at the doorway, rooted to the spot. It was Gabriel who bravely pushed both Thomas and Amy out the door, "Run! Get help!" The two youngest kids were about to protest but Gabriel yelled "Go!" and shut the door behind them.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:**

Chin didn't see it coming. The gun was fired from somewhere at the top of the staircase. He cried out in pain as the bullet pierced his upper arm, and resulted in him dropping his pistol to the floor with a clatter. It took only a split second before both Cal and Bud pounced on the detective, pinning his arms behind him.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in, boys!" A cold voice drawled, followed by footsteps as Jeff Stiller came into view, making his way down the creaking stairs, a revolver in his hand.

* * *

><p>Amy and Thomas ran straight to their father's car and scrambled inside. Thomas reached for the radio.<p>

"Do you know how that works?" Amy asked as she caught her breath.

"I'll figure it out," Thomas said quickly as he depressed the button and spoke into the unit.

"Hello? Hello, we need help right away – please help!" Thomas shouted.

"Central Dispatch, please identify yourself," a voice replied.

"This is Thomas Kelly and we need Mr. McGarrett right away!"

Sensing that this was not a prank, the dispatch operator rang McGarrett's office.

"Mr. McGarrett, I have a Thomas Kelly requesting to speak to you. I think it's urgent."

"Thanks, patch me through," Steve replied tersely. "Thomas? Are you okay?" Steve asked, his voice on edge with concern.

"Mr. McGarrett, they shot Dad, and Gabriel is still in the house and I'm really scared," Thomas managed to say very quickly.

"Where are you? Is Amy with you?" Steve asked as he motioned to Danny to get ready to move.

"We're on Umi Road. There's an old house that's boarded up. I don't know the number. Amy's in the car with me." Thomas tried to steady his nerves.

"This is very important, Thomas. You and Amy stay in the car and keep low. Do not leave the car. We'll be right there."

Steve and Danny bolted out of the office, down the palace stairs and into the black Mercury. Steve squealed out of the parking lot and headed for Umi Road. Danny grabbed the radio and called for backup, silent approach.

* * *

><p>Gabriel's heart thumped harder than it ever had in his life as when he heard the door shut behind him, leaving the young boy trapped in a house with his father and three very bad men.<p>

"Jeff, Cal, Bud, what's the shooting for?" a voice shouted from what sounded like upstairs.

Make that four very bad men.

"Visitors, Howard. Five-O found us."

"They're too late; I burned the papers."

"And with this cop as insurance, there's no way you're going to court on Tuesday."

The men continued to talk but Gabriel knew that he couldn't continue to stand by the front door. He wanted to go to his father but the he knew that doing so wouldn't help Dad so he tiptoed silently into a room opposite of where the men were talking.

The room Gabriel was full of old moth eaten furniture covered with sheets and so much dust that he had to force himself not to sneeze. While the room was eerie it was definitely not as scary as the men who had shot Dad.

Tears started to form in Gabriel's eyes; it was his fault that Dad was hurt or worse and all because he wanted to explore a haunted house. Some haunted house this turned out to be, not a single ghost...

Suddenly, in spite of danger, in spite of not knowing if his dad was okay, in spite of the bad men with guns, Gabriel smiled.

Gabriel had a plan; he was going turn this old house into the spookiest haunted house anyone had ever seen! He would make it so scary that the bad guys would flee in fear and his Dad would safe and everything would be okay.

* * *

><p>Danny jumped out of the car as soon as Steve parked. Glancing back for only a quick moment to make sure that Kono had managed to keep up with Steve's manic driving, he raced to Chin's car. Crouching low on the side of the opposite of the abandoned house, Danny slowly opened a door.<p>

"Danny!" two voices cried out in unison.

"Down," Danny hissed and catching the seriousness of his tone, the kids listened. "Now, crawl towards me and keep your head below the windows." Danny had no idea who had shot Chin or if he could even see them but the detective was taking no chances with the children's lives.

Once the kids were free of the car, Danny ordered them to run as fast as they could to where Steve was standing. As soon as kids were safe, Danny also ran back without any incident to find Steve already asking them both for every bit of information they could remember about what they had seen and heard.

As Steve interrogated the children one fact became quickly clear: somehow, Gabriel, Thomas and Amy had managed to stumble across the Stiller brothers' hideout. Exchanging a look with Kono, Danny could see that the knowledge troubled his friend just as much as it did him.

* * *

><p>Tied to a chair in a room on the second floor, Chin strained against his bonds in an attempt to loosen them. It only served to cause him more pain from the bullet wound he received. "You're only making it worse for your family, Howard. Why don't you talk your brothers out of this crazy plan?"<p>

"Why don't you shut-up, cop!" Howard yelled as he back-handed the bound detective across the face. Turning back to face his brothers, the youngest Stiller rounded on Jeff. "Was the cop alone?"

"His brats were playing hide-and-seek downstairs." Jeff replied with a chuckle.

"I don't see how that is funny!" Howard snapped. "Where are they?"

"Don't worry about them, they took off! They're as useless as their father here. They won't trouble us." Cal responded dismissively.

"They better not!" Howard spat out as he rounded on Cal.

Gabriel frantically began searching around him for something to cause enough of a "ghostly" distraction to get the bad men's attention off his father long enough for him to help them escape. The room he was in was darker than the others as the window was so grimy that only a faint glow filtered through from the street lights outside. He decided to venture into the next room, to the left of the staircase, where the moon light shone through the large window, illuminating the area. It appeared to be some kind of a family room. There were old-fashioned paintings hanging on the walls and a rocking chair in the corner next to the window. Stifling a gasp, Gabriel hid behind a bookcase as voices echoed against the walls from above him. Swallowing down his fear, Gabriel let his imagination roam as he took in the interior of the room and the objects in it. It was time to put his plan into action. Taking a deep breath, Gabriel moved away from the book case but something jerked his arm back. Gulping in fear he looked down and saw that the cuff of his sleeve was caught on the sharp edge of the book case. Breathing a sigh of relief, he pulled himself free, fraying his costume as the fabric ran through the splinter in the wood. Examining the damage, the boy grabbed hold of the loose strands of cotton and wrapped them around his hand. He gave a hard tug to break them free from his sleeve when more ideas formed in his mind. The strands of string were fine enough to not be seen in the dimness of the room if he were to use them in his plans.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Outside the derelict house on Umi Road, three men in suits huddled behind a black sedan where two children sat in silence. "Kono, stay here with the children and wait until the back-up from HPD arrives. Get a hold of Chief Dann and tell him to bring in their best marksman. We're dealing with three, possibly four armed men. Keep out of sight and keep your heads down." Steve instructed the Hawaiian detective before turning to his second in command. "Danno, come with me."

* * *

><p>A banging followed by a crashing noise disrupted the momentary silence of the second floor bedroom where four men stood around a fifth tied to a wooden chair. "What the hell was that? I thought this place was supposed to be abandoned!" Cal's head whipped around to the open doorway, his ears straining to locate the source of the cacophony.<p>

"Whatever it was, it came from downstairs." Bud mused aloud.

"Well, don't you two just stand there! Go down and check it out!" Howard retorted sharply.

Grudgingly, Cal and Bud made their way out of the room, flashlights in hand.

Taking the creaking, rotting stairs two at a time, Cal and Bud Stiller drew out their firearms as they reached the bottom step and decided to split up to cover more ground. Bud headed for the foyer and entrance hall, while Cal decided to check the closet and the room near the staircase, on the left. After shining his flashlight into the closet, he was satisfied to see there was no one in there. Moving on, he opened the door to the room nearby and poked his head around the door frame, his gun held at the ready. _Nothing. _Just as he was about to close the door, a painting fell from the wall and crashed to the floor. _What the? _Cal gave the door a hard shove and entered the room, his pistol pointed aimlessly to the room at large. _Thud. _A book flew off a shelf and hit the floor. Cal slowly walked over to the book case and bent down to pick up the fallen book but stopped in his tracks when a creaking sound caught his attention. He straightened up and squinted through the dimly lit room. He shone his flash light ahead of him but it flickered and gave out. Something moved in and out of the shadows in the corner. Discarding his flashlight, he raised his gun and fired a round into the darkness. The bullet thudded into a solid object and the creaking ceased. Perspiration beaded his forehead as Cal walked over towards the dark corner. As he got nearer, he could see the outline of a rocking chair next to the window. Unseen by the gunman, an eleven year old boy hid behind the drapes that covered half the window. Gabriel covered his mouth with his hands, fearing the sounds of his breathing would give him away as he waited for the criminal to step away from the window.

* * *

><p>Steve and Danny heard gunfire as they approached the front porch. Knowing that Chin was already wounded (hopefully the man was still alive), and that he and his son were somewhere inside, Steve was finding it difficult to control the rising fear in his gut so that rational thought could prevail. He motioned to Danny to cover him as he silently opened the front door. Steve entered the foyer, catching Bud off-guard.<p>

"Freeze!" whispered Steve as he grabbed Bud by the arm and made sure that the man could feel the gun pointing at his back.

Steve handed Bud off to Danny who frisked and cuffed the man and marched him out the door into Kono's custody. _One down, _thought Steve.

As Steve's eyes adjusted to the almost non-existent light in the entry hall, he heard movement coming from the room to the left of the staircase. He crossed the room and peered through the half-open door. Cal was over by the window, staring blankly at the rocking chair in the corner. Suddenly, the chair began to rock all by itself! Cal was so spooked that he jumped back and swallowed a scream. Steve reacted quickly to the unexpected advantage he had and held Cal at gunpoint. "Don't move," said Steve in a hushed voice through gritted teeth.

* * *

><p>Gabriel recognized Mr. McGarrett's voice and released the breath that he had been holding, although he was still too scared to move knowing that the bad man was still there, too. Gabriel waited until he heard the two men walk to the door and leave the room, and then he was brave enough to leave the safety of the curtains and cautiously walk toward the door.<p>

By the time Gabriel stuck his head out the doorway to survey the entry hall, Steve had already taken care of Cal and was again by himself in the dark space. He could hear hushed voices and footsteps above him on the second floor, and every nerve in his body was still on alert. The next thing he heard was a very quiet child's voice.

"Mr. McGarrett!" Gabriel cried out in the loudest whisper he could manage.

Instantly, Steve moved so that he was standing beside the boy. "Are you hurt?"

"No."

As Steve quickly looked over Gabriel to confirm the boy's answer, Danny and Kono quietly met them. "Boss," Kono hissed, "back up's here and da perimeter is secure."

Nodding to show that he heard, Steve swiftly ordered, "Gabriel, go with Kono."

"No, Mr. McGarret," Gabriel replied.

Kono looked down sternly at Chin's son. "Don't think I won't carry ya."

"No," Gabriel stated as loud as he dared. Then knowing that he was running out of time to convince the adults he explained, "I know how we can save, Dad. We can make them think the house is haunted. It worked with the bad men you just caught. It will work with the men upstairs who have Dad. I know it will."

Danny could only watch in amazement as the stubborn Irish cop gave in to the persistence of a determined eleven year old boy. "Explain."

After Gabriel briefly outlined his idea, Steve quickly formulated a plan. "Gabriel, you can help on one condition: you must stay close to Danny and do exactly what he tells you to do without any argument."

"I promise."

"Even if Danny tells you to leave your Dad behind."

Gabriel's eyes widened as he realized that Mr. McGarrett was serious. "I will."

Steve headed for the stairs as he called out, "Kono, you're with me."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

The only comfort the captured and wounded detective had was that the Stiller brothers showed no interest in chasing down his three children but even that was not enough to stop a father's worry. For Chin had no way of knowing that his children had left the house or if they had been able to call for help. And now that Cal and Bud were busy investigating suspicious noises, Chin prayed that his children were not the culprits.

Suddenly, the lights in the room started flickering on and off. "Jeff!" Howard hollered. "Quit fooling with those lights."

"It's not me," Jeff replied as he hefted his gun and pointed it at the only door into the room.

Howard was not satisfied. "I told you those kids were trouble."

"The brats are long gone. But if you're afraid, little brother, we'll change locations as soon as our brothers get back."

Jeff sounded confident but the when the sound of rattling chains began above their heads followed by a long drawn out moan he jumped back in fright. "Bud, Cal, this isn't funny!"

Recognizing the moaning voice, Chin tried not to laugh as he said, "Didn't you know that the ghosts walk on All Hallow's Eve?"

"Shut up! I have just about had enough of you and your kids," Jeff screamed as he stormed toward the immobile detective, leaving the door unguarded…

"You know, you won't get away with this so why don't you just give yourselves up!" Chin's confidence level rose a notch higher as he saw the door opening ever so slowly and a familiar figure step inside, his gun held at the ready. At Steve's curt nod, Chin understood what he had to do. He had to keep the Stiller brothers' attentions occupied until his boss was ready to make his move.

"I said shut up, cop!" Jeff was clearly on the edge of his patience as he pointed the gun barrel at Chin's head.

"Come on Jeff, let's just leave him here and get out of here! This place _is_ giving me the creeps!" Howard started toward his brother.

"Maybe I should finish him off first so he can't talk to anyone," Jeff whispered.

"If you kill me, Five-O will hunt you down!" Chin warned. He could now see Kono covering for Steve.

Jeff's eyes were blazing as he pulled his arm back ready to swing it across to deliver a brutal blow with the pistol to Chin's head. Holding his breath, Chin braced himself for the impact, never taking his eyes off his captors. It all happened so fast. Steve reached the armed man in one leap as he grabbed hold of Jeff's arm in mid-swing. "Hold it!" Five-O's lead detective growled into Jeff's ear, keeping a firm hold of him with one hand while the other he pressed his revolver firmly into the offender's lower back. "Five-O! You're under arrest."

"Don't try it, Bruddah! We got you surrounded." Kono's voice boomed as he reached Howard who tried to side-step the big Hawaiian and fly out the door. "Hands above your head. Move against da wall." Kono took hold of the back of the perp's shirt and wheeled him around before keeping him pressed against the wall. After he frisked the man for weapons and finding a handgun in his waist band which Kono stowed away into his pocket, he took out his hand cuffs and applied them around Howard's wrists.

Steve pried the gun out of Jeff's hand and just as he pulled his arm away, an elbow connected with his chin stunning him. Taking advantage of the situation as he felt the detective stagger backward, Jeff spun around and gave Steve a hard shove away from him, grounding the tall cop then took off out the door, leaving Kono torn between chasing after him and staying with Howard.

Chin could do nothing but watch as the scene played out before him. A loud thud followed by a round of curses could be heard coming from out in the hall.

* * *

><p>Jeff ran out the door and headed for the stairs. Suddenly something slammed into him from a room to his right. Caught off-guard he fell against the wall, cursing, as Danny held him and reached for his cuffs. "It's over, Jeff!" Danny declared. No sooner had the words left his mouth, Jeff kicked the young detective's legs out from under him and as he went down Jeff punched him in the face. Dazed, Danny fell to his hands and knees. Continuing his attempts to flee from the law, Jeff pushed himself away from the wall but got no further when he tripped over an obstacle that he could've sworn wasn't there before. "Umph!" The air left his body as Jeff lost his balance and fell face forward on to the floor. Confused, the Stiller brother turned his head to the side and saw a pair of boots – too small to belong to a grown man. Looking up, the downed man saw a boy of no older than eleven or twelve dressed in a cowboy outfit staring back down at him with a triumphant grin on his face. "<em>Why you little-"<em>

A hard shove in the back was all Jeff needed to know it really was over. "Stay down. Keep your hands where I can see them," Danny instructed as he pinned Jeff to the floor. Behind him he could hear footsteps hurrying towards them.

"You alright, Danno?" Steve questioned his second in command as he led a cuffed Howard out into the hall.

"I am now. Thanks to our young cowboy here," Danny replied, gesturing at Gabriel.

"Son!" the unmistakable voice of a concerned father sounded and all eyes turned to Chin Ho Kelly as he rushed down the hall to the young boy's side. Ignoring the wound in his arm, the Chinese detective pulled his son into a tight embrace before drawing back and leaning over to check for any sign the boy was hurt.

"I'm okay, Dad." Gabriel mumbled, feeling a little warm under the collar as he saw that everyone was watching. The sight of his father's blood-soaked sleeve rent a gasp from his throat and his eyes widened with worry. "Dad!"

"I'm okay too. It's just a scratch, son. Just a scratch." Chin grasped his son by the shoulders and looked deep into his eyes, trying to re-assure the youngster.

"On your feet. Let's go." Danny ordered, hauling Jeff to his feet with Kono's help. Together the three Five-O detectives, the two remaining Stiller brothers and an eleven year old boy made their way down the stairs and out of the house to be met by a storm of HPD officers standing by.

* * *

><p>"I'm so sorry, Dad. I never should've snuck out like that. I promise I've learned my lesson," Gabriel croaked as he stood with his hands in his vest pockets, leaning against the hood of the black Mercury parked behind the ambulance. He couldn't bear to look his father in the eye as tears of shame welled up in his eyes.<p>

"I'm sorry too!" Thomas piped up beside Gabriel.

"Me too!" Amy echoed her siblings' most sincere apologies as she stood holding her father's hand while a paramedic applied a bandage around his arm to stop the bleeding.

"I know, sweet heart, but you gave Daddy a very big scare." Chin was relieved that his children were safe and well but he needed them to understand that what they did was not only an act of disobedience but an act that endangered them all.

"It's my fault. I'm oldest here. I should've known better." Gabriel's guilt was enough to prove to Chin that his son had learned a very valuable lesson.

"Gabriel, I can't say that I'm not disappointed in you. In _all_ of you." Chin could see the remorse written on each child's face and knew just how sorry they were. "But I am also proud to be a father of three very brave young children. Steve told me what you did in there, Gabriel. You did a very courageous thing." Chin gave his children a small smile as they allowed their gaze to finally meet his. "There was a lesson to be learned and remembered tonight." Pausing for effect, Chin sighed heavily as the anger and fear subsided. "Don't ever sneak out like that again!" With his last words of chastisement, Chin nodded at the medic who had finished treating his wound and took his children into his arms, wincing as he did from his injury. "I love you." Chin nuzzled his face in each of their soft hair in turn, his throat constricting with emotion as he thought about how truly blessed and thankful he was tonight. Blessed that he found his children, blessed that they were unharmed, and blessed that he had escaped death's door so that he could be reunited with his family again.

Steve, Danny and Kono took their time as they walked toward their cars, watching in silent admiration as one of their ohana shared a special moment with his children. Looking around them they could see that it was a clear Halloween night, the stars were out, the moon was bright and everything was going to be alright…

PAU


End file.
